Mrs King and Mr Stetson
by WretchedHandsSJS
Summary: Someone suggested I write a preview to my Mr. and Stetson before they met. Mrs. King and Mr. Stetson as to when before they met. This is my take on things that happened after. Most of the beginning focuses on Amanda before she meets Lee. If you haven't read the first one, I recommend you do as the story will make more sense.
1. Chapter 1

Amanda's father, Carl, passed away while Amanda was in high school and her mother Dotty lived in their home while Amanda was in college. Before Philip was born Joe and Amanda purchased a small three-bedroom house and Dotty alone in her house, sold the house Amanda was raised in and moved in with them and their one-year-old Philip. Amanda was pregnant and nine months later Jamie was born.

Since Joe's death, Amanda knowing how dangerous her job can be decided to keep all aspects of her work life and home life separate and that would mean Francine could no longer be around Amanda's home life. Francine understood but was hurt, especially since they've been friends since their Georgetown days while they were both undergrads and they met Joe while he was a law student.

It has been six months since Joe died, Philip had just turned five and Jamie was three years old. Amanda was working for the National Travel Agency part-time, but half of Joe's life insurance went into a trust fund for the boys and she needed a steady income, the settlement on the lawsuit against the airplane company came through, but it was less than she expected. She asked Mrs. F if she could start working full-time and she was getting more responsibilities.

Meanwhile, Lee was a junior agent working for an intelligence agency, as a front it was called; International Film Federation or called IFF for short.

Six months later Dotty knowing how hard her daughter has been working, surprised her with tickets to an art exhibit. "Amanda darling", she says with her hands on her hips, "we are going to this exhibit and I won't take no for an answer. I've already arranged for Katie next door to babysit Philip and Jamie. It is the day after tomorrow at 6 pm." Amanda relents, knowing she can't argue with her when she has that tone of voice.

Billy gives Lee an assignment to pose as a bartender at an art function tomorrow to identify and smoke out a forger. Lee looks at the file and complains, "Bartender? A waiter can be confused with a bartender. Really Billy, remember how the last time that turned out? Two guys chased me to the train station, and I was unable to get on the train safely and I had to hand it off to a stranger and we found her body the next morning. The whole operation was a bust and three of our best agents got killed. I would have been next on the list if Beaman hadn't gotten sick and missed his stop smoking hypnosis session. I can't believe our own shrink was a double agent gathering intel from Beamon while he was under hypnosis."

Billy says, "but we did catch the bad guys in the end. They were working for the Russians. We are lucky Ephriam started remembering his sessions and found you in that cellar. This time I don't believe the Russians are involved. You weren't at the agency when this happened, but an art forger whose real name is Jason McMasters Jr; is rumored to be there. All you need to do is identify him from this file and let the agents waiting in the auction room and outside know he is there. They will handle the rest and your cover won't be blown".

Lee protests, "but why me? I'm not a Jr. agent anymore. Isn't that something an agent in training can do?"

Billy chuckles and says, "but you look so dashing in that bartender/waiter tuxedo. You fill out nicely and you are the only who can fit into it. Think of it as a learning experience on how to be humble." Lee realizing there is no point in arguing any further, takes the file and leaves, stopping by wardrobe before heading back to his apartment. He researches the file and the next day he shows up early to set up for the function.

Amanda is getting dressed in her fancy black dress she made with spaghetti straps and picks out a flower from her garden to wear in her hair. Dotty is finishing dressing when the doorbell rings and Amanda answers it. "Thank you for babysitting the boy's tonight Katie. I don't think we will be too late, maybe home by 10 pm."

"That's okay Mrs. King. I brought my homework; I can work on that after I put them to bed". Dotty walks down the stairs and Katie says, "Mrs. West, you look very nice tonight, and you too Mrs. King. I hope you have fun tonight. My mom is jealous, she wishes she could go too."

Amanda and her mother leave thanking Katie for being able to babysit on short notice. Amanda gets into her brand-new Jeep she purchased when she got her promotion and told her mother it was for her film equipment and to drive the boys around when needed. Amanda valet's the Jeep and they hand their ticket to the usher.

During a break in the tour, Amanda asks her mother if she wants anything from the bar, Dotty replies, "a white wine would do nicely."

Amanda approaches the open bar and orders two glasses of white wine. The man smiles and she thinks "those dimples, he is very cute, but when he smiles, those dimples are very sexy. He looks like a model and maybe bartending is his night gig." She stops herself and realizes this is the first time since Joe died she found another man attractive. The man hands over the two glasses, but he's no longer smiling. He almost looks disappointed and she wonders what set him off. Dotty walks up behind her and Amanda turns around and hands her one of the glasses. She turns back to place a tip in the tip bowl and the man is smiling again.

The smiling man stammers and says, "normally I don't do this, I mean I don't usually try to pick up women while I'm working, but you have the most beautiful eyes and I wondered if you would like to meet for coffee sometime."

Amanda is taken aback. The last time she was hit on was by Joe after bumping into each other on campus over seven years ago. She is not sure what to make out of this guy. One moment he is smiling and the next he looks like she did something wrong. Then he is smiling again and asking her out on a date. She knows it's time for her to move on, but she is suspicious of this stranger and she says, "no thank you.", as she turns to leave she hears her mother asking the man for his card and telling him she will make sure her daughter Amanda calls him back.

Once they get into the jeep and as Amanda is driving home she scolds her mother, "moth-er, why did you do that? Sure, he is cute, but he could be crazy, he was acting all weird and then asks me out? He could be a stalker or something."

Dotty replies, "does a stalker hand out his business card? And he's not just cute. On a scale of one to ten, he's an eleven."

In exasperation Amanda says, "fine, what is this eleven's guys name and what does he do?"

Dotty looks at the card and says, "his name is Lee Stetson and he works at IFF. It says International Film Federation. You should give him a call. I promised him you would, and a lady never goes back on a promise."

Amanda chuckles and says, "you made that promise, not me. Do you want to go out with him?"

Dotty says, "if only I were thirty years younger, maybe. But I have my eye on that flight instructor I told you about. His name is Captain Curt, I know it's funny, but he is cute. Nothing has happened yet, but you never know."

After Amanda and her mother left to return to the exhibit, Lee was able to identify Jason McMasters Jr and he is quickly taken into custody. He drives back to The Agency in one of their cars and smiles thinking back to that woman earlier tonight. "Amanda. That is a beautiful name", he thinks to himself. After dropping off the car at IFF, he changes and gets on his Honda Motorcycle and heads back to his apartment. He hasn't felt this way about any woman he just met briefly. He doesn't even know her last name. He was relieved when that other glass of white wine was for her mother. Hopefully, her mother will convince her to call him. He changes into his boxers and turns off the lights hopeful she will call soon.

Amanda and Dotty arrive home and Amanda pays Katie, thanking her for babysitting. As he is locking up, her mother hands her Lee Stetson's card. She takes it upstairs with her and turns it over in her hands. She puts it on the nightstand and decides to sleep before deciding. Maybe in the morning, she can find out about this IFF and why he was working as a bartender.


	2. Chapter 2

Friday:

Amanda rises and makes breakfast for everyone. She leaves a note to her mother she is needed for an early staff meeting. She brings along her encrypted laptop. She arrives at her office, shuts the door and opens her laptop, typing in the information on the card her mother gave him about this documentary film director. There is a professional cover page with a list of directors and their editing staff. She finds the bio of Mr. Lee Stetson. It's very basic, not a lot of background, but it's a public domain website and nothing suspicious jumps out at her. She is reminded of how handsome he is, even more so than he looked last night in that uniform. She thinks to herself, does a director at a film agency not make that much money, where he needs to moonlight as a bartender? Francine knocks on her door and wants to know if she is busy. Amanda clears her browser history and shuts the laptop before replying, "no, what's up?"

Francine says, "Amanda, you have been with NTA for almost three years now, two as part-time and about one year full-time. Emily thinks it's time for you to get your own assistant. There is a pool from candidates in training and you can review their files and handle your own interviews. They have already been vetted; you just need to find someone who is a good fit for you."

Amanda replies, "I'd like to interview that kid Brian. He seems eager and everything I have heard about him is he is well-liked and a hard worker."

Francine says, "great! I'll get my assistant to set something up. Oh, before I forget, how was that exhibit your mother dragged you to last night?"

Amanda replies, "it was okay. Mother is trying to set me up with this cute bartender. I mean. That's not all he does, but I did a quick search on him and it has been over a year since Joe died. I may call him up for drinks."

"Drinks", Francine smiles, "if that is what you want to call it. But yes, I think you are due for 'drinks.' What is his name? Or are you not going to tell me on the off chance you might hit it off and don't want anything personal at work?"

"Francine", Amanda scolds, "I'm only being cautious and maybe a little paranoid, but you know what it is like when agents socialize outside of work. I have an agreement that after Joe died, my home life would be separate from the Agency. Sure it may only be a date, but what if it isn't, then I'll just have to take you out to the woodshed and kill you and I don't want it to resort to that as you are my best friend, and I'd hate to have that on my resume", Amanda winks as she shows Francine the door.

Leaving Francine throws her hands up in the air and says, "yes you are being paranoid, but I won't argue with you. I'll have Brian's resume sent up and my assistant will schedule something with you next week."

Over at IFF:

Billy calls Lee to his office, yelling, "Scarecrow get in here!" Lee knows Billy is all bluster and he completed his task textbook style last night, so he knows he is not being called out on the carpet. It's Billy's way of keeping Jr. Agents in charge and on their toes. "Shut the door behind you", he loudly says.

Lee turns and shuts the door and sits down at across the desk from Billy's looking up at the Blue Marlin on the wall. "Billy, the ruse is over. I know I did a great job last night and our agents detained and arrested this McMasters guy. Hopefully, they are getting the information they need from him. So, what is the real reason you called me in here?"

"Yes", Billy responds, we are very pleased with last night, but someone saw you paying a lot of attention to a woman who all they could describe as 'great legs'. What do you know about her? You gave your IFF card to an older woman next to her."

"Billy", Lee says, "I never got her name, I thought she was attractive, I tried to ask her out, but she said no thank you. Her mother asked for my card and said she would make sure she would call me. IFF is a legit company, we keep that as our cover, and I was not about to give her a bogus name in case she calls me back."

Billy replies, "at least Elisa and Leslie know the kind of work you do, this mystery woman has no clue what she could be getting herself into. Please tell me you did not use agency resources to track down this woman just so you can get laid?"

Lee feigns astonishment but says, "no I did not do that, she already thought I was strange, I don't want to ruin my chances by showing up at her door in a pest control uniform. I'm sure she is already wondering if I'm am really a film director; why was I working as a bartender last night."

Billy opens the door and shows Lee out saying, "okay Casanova, tread lightly. This is not like you to get riled up by just meeting someone who is described as 'great legs".

Lee laughs as he leaves Billy's office and scratches his heading wondering what it is about this woman that has him so intrigued. He gets off the elevator and is about to take the stairs to the Film Library, better known as the Q'. Bureau.

Mrs. Marston calls out to him before his feet reach the first step. "Mr. Stetson", she calls out. "I have a message for you from a Mrs. King."

Lee shakes his head and says, "I don't know anyone by that name. Are you sure it's for me?"

Mrs. Marston replies, "she says it's about the exhibition you met her at last night. Do you still want the message, or should I call her back telling her you are busy?"

Lee taking long strides grabs the message from her and says, "thank you, Mrs. Marston. I'll handle this." Lee takes the message up the stairs and smiles, then remembers, hearing 'Mrs.', he didn't see a ring on her finger. So, either she is divorced or widowed, or he laments a player, but she didn't seem the type.

He unlocks the door, sits down at his desk, takes a deep breath, picks up the receiver slowing dialing the number.


End file.
